


He's My Stranger.

by VulpesVulpes713



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Creeps on the train like staring at him, Highscool AU, Keith is a scary punk boy, Keith the bodyguard, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Fluff, Laith, M/M, Modern Day, POV Keith (Voltron), POV Lance (Voltron), Strangers to Friends, Voltron, Whereas Lance is a soft boy, klance, lance is oblivious on trains, so Keith takes it upon himself to protect the helpless child
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2018-12-31 21:46:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12141801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VulpesVulpes713/pseuds/VulpesVulpes713
Summary: Keith takes the train to attend the hell hole that is his private school, and though he's used to the weirdos and creeps who frequent the locomotive, apparently not everyone aboard is.There's a stranger on this train that Keith can just tell is a target. Already a group of older men have set their sights on the boy, who's not even aware of his surroundings, that's how zoned-out he is.So Keith, being the kind-hearted kid he is, takes it upon himself to lend his own defensive appearance to ward off creepers who may want to harm this oblivious boy, if only to keep the guy daydreaming peacefully.He takes his job very seriously. This is /his/ stranger after all.





	He's My Stranger.

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [this text post](http://never2late2smile.tumblr.com/post/165465011704/ding-dong-yes-hello-my-name-is-erin-and-i-would)

Every living organism within the animal kingdom has a mechanism to ward off predators. Some frogs are brightly coloured, indicating their poisonous and deadly nature, whilst bears and tigers have powerful jaws and sharp claws that would just as easily do one in. And then others are just so oddly shaped that no one in their right mind would want to go near them, for fear of the unknown.

 

Animals have perfected the art of announcing to the world when they want to be left alone, and humans are much the same. 

 

Though generally soft and outwardly useless in terms of physical attributes, humans have adopted the use of tools to lend them the capabilities needed to remain undisturbed. Some carried weapons to mimic power, whilst others dressed to impress, or else, discourage conversation. 

 

Keith was no exception to this, though the train tended to frown upon knives, however discreet, so he kept to his leather jacket, Converse sneakers and black fingerless gloves, all hiding his school uniform beneath, knowing anyone who saw him would likely steer clear of his obvious punk persona. 

 

But even those weren’t enough at times, so Keith completed his outfit with a pair of headphones: the universal signal to leave someone the fuck alone. 

 

It worked for the most part, and the music helped drown out the obnoxious background noise of the train station as an added bonus.

 

A win-win if there ever was one.

 

Keith was shuffling through one of his playlists as he waited for his train to arrive, keeping to himself and letting his appearance do the talking. To his relief, no one approached, not even the kids he recognized from his own school. 

 

_ And thank god for that.  _

 

Private schools were terrible for stereotyping their students. Each person fell into a category, and  _ remained _ in said category for the duration of their stay, never leaving, like being encased in a cement statue of social hierarchy. 

 

And Keith, of course, made up the bottom of said statue; the outcasts, the loners, the ones who wanted to be left alone. He was fine with this really. It added to his defenses, made him less approachable, more of an obstacle to steer clear of. 

 

But Keith could admit that it wasn’t the most companionable way to live, and there were many times when he was incredibly grateful to have Shiro in his life. 

 

Shiro, who acted just as much a dad as an older brother. Shiro, who helped Keith maneuver his way through highschool and persevere despite wanting to quit so many times. Shiro, who was texting him right now cautioning him about strangers on the train, as if Keith hadn’t known that already.

 

_ Typical. _

 

Keith groaned as he unlocked his phone, reading over the messages as he thought bitterly about how the first day of the school year would go. 

 

_ Only one more year of this, and then I’m free. _

 

Shiro’s text was broken up into three sentences, since apparently the guy had yet to learn how to use paragraphs.

 

**Buzz Lightyear:** Hey K, did you remember to pack a lunch?

**Buzz Lightyear:** Do you have your train pass? I forgot to ask last night.

**Buzz Lightyear:** Also don’t wear headphones all the time, it makes you look stuck up.

 

Keith huffed as he read over the words, tapping out a quick reply as he saw his train pull up. 

 

**K:** Chill. I’m fine.

 

He didn’t wait for a response, and instead shoved his phone back into his pocket as he waited for the train to empty of it’s passengers, before stepping onboard and choosing a seat. 

 

_ At least this train is virtually empty this early in the morning. _

 

Keith knew it wouldn’t remain that way, but he was lucky to have at least found a spot to sit. Usually he would be forced to stand, which was all fine and dandy until someone forgot the definition of personal space as the train jostled them unceremoniously down the track. 

 

But this morning he was able to relax into the uncomfortable backing of the train seat, and let his eyes wander aimlessly to the other passengers, not having to worry about making pleasantries with passersby.

 

_ Bless the invention of headphones. _

 

He saw his classmates, mouths moving in apparent conversation, but Keith’s music was drowning out their words. They glanced over at one point, and heads bowed together in what Keith guessed to be hushed whispering, undoubtedly about him. Not that he cared. 

 

_ Let them talk. It’s nothing new. _

 

Besides, he was aware of the reputation he had managed to build for himself over his school career. People tended to leave Keith Kogane alone. He was a troublemaker; a fact that was only accentuated by his outward appearance. 

 

But they also knew who he hung around with, and though Pidge was small, she was feisty, and no one liked crossing her. Together they had been able to survive private school; support each other as the weight of society’s statue threatened to crush them. 

 

Along with Shiro, Pidge was the only one he liked enough to let into his life. She didn’t judge how he dressed, or make fun of his hair or music tastes. She was just Pidge; trying to make it out into the world beyond high school, just like him. 

 

_ If only she took this train… _

 

Keith could still feel the stares of his classmates as he averted his eyes, letting them pass onto a row of strangers as he tried to ignore how obvious their gossiping had been, and pretend it didn’t bother him as much as it did. 

 

One lady was wearing an uncustomary amount of lavender, which would have been fine, had she not also seemingly  _ bathed _ in the scent. Keith scrunched up his nose as an unpleasantly strong waft of it came drifting his way as the doors to the train closed. 

 

It was almost enough to make his eyes water.

 

_ I feel bad for the person sitting right next to her. _

 

Though Keith doubted he could even smell it. The man appeared to be well into his hundredths, with only the back of the train seat keeping his body upright. Every inch of visible skin was losing a fight against gravity, like ill-fitting clothing on a skeleton long past its decay date. 

 

_ I wonder where he’s off to. _

 

Across from the pair was a group of younger men; older than Keith by a few years and clearly pleased with that fact. A few pairs of eyes drifted over him, but flickered away quickly as they saw Keith notice. 

 

_ Yeah, I dare you to try something, jerks. _

 

These were the types of people Shiro liked to warn him about: the creeps. 

 

The ones who needed a group in order to feel stronger. Who relied on their friends to support their decisions, however distasteful they were. Once again Keith was grateful to the defenses his look provided. 

 

_ No one wants to mess with a guy in fingerless gloves apparently.  _

 

Keith watched the group out of the corner of his eye, just to make sure they didn’t get bold enough to try and bother him. Every now and again he would hear their obnoxious laughter, and glance over to see what it was about, but they were no longer paying him any attention.

 

_ Good. Keep it that way. _

 

It was when Keith’s music paused between songs, and the sounds of the train took that opportunity to fill his ears, that he heard it.

 

“-ask if he’s willing.”

 

There was another bout of laughter, menacing and not at all friendly, and Keith let his finger drift over to the pause button on his phone before the next song could start. Another great thing about headphones was that they allowed for eavesdropping, not that he particularly enjoyed doing that, but these guys were clearly looking for trouble. 

 

And there was something in the way the group of men were all huddled together as their conversation went on that had Keith edging a little closer in his seat.

 

“Look at him. He’s alone. Don’t think he’ll say no to us.” 

 

“He’s like, a kid though…”

 

“Exacty. Too scared to ask for help.”

 

Keith’s nerves were on full alert now. Anger surged through his body as he listened to the men speak, and his eyes quickly scanned over the vicinity of the train to see who they were talking about. 

 

They landed on someone wearing a bright blue sweater, head resting against the window with a small smile playing at his lips; shoulder bag sitting on the seat beside him as he tapped idly on his knee.

 

He looked to be about Keith’s age, but was not someone he recognized from his classes. 

 

_ Another high school perhaps?  _

 

Whatever the case, it was apparent that this was the guy the creeps were talking about, as no one else on the train fit the description. 

 

“-an easy target-”

 

Keith’s attention was ripped back to the group; all four members staring outright at the boy in blue. 

 

It was like watching a pack of hyenas ogle a baby antelope: all hungry eyes and wicked smirks that nearly sent a shiver down Keith’s spine. Except, a baby antelope at least had its mother around to protect it. This guy appeared to be alone, which made him even more defenseless. 

 

_ He’s not even wearing headphones!  _

 

Maybe it was some primal instinct in Keith that made his legs move. 

 

Maybe it was some adherent need to protect this helpless boy that had him crossing over to where the group of men were standing.

 

And maybe it was downright foolishness that had him glaring in their direction, before placing himself directly between them and the completely oblivious stranger. 

 

_ Try something now, pricks. _

 

He almost said the words out loud, but thought better of it. There was no need to provoke a predator, and Keith had enough outward defenses going for him to keep the men from doing anything drastic. 

 

He pulled out his phone as the group went silent, feeling their eyes bore into his skull and almost smiling at their obvious frustration. 

 

_ Ha. Good.  _

 

_ Fuckers. _

 

He let his music drown out the rest of the trip, not even remotely peeved at having to give up his precious seat in order to keep the boy in front of him daydreaming. And as Keith let his mind wander as he countered each bump of the train, he found himself staring at the guy sitting at the window.

 

Brown hair was tousled lightly, either accidentally or on purpose, and complimented equally brown skin in a short-cut style. Aside from the bright blue sweater, the boy also wore acid-washed jeans and- _ wow those are bright yellow sneakers. Odd choice...but it works. _

 

All in all, the boy resembled a bird of paradise: all gaudy colours and showy appearance, but no real threatening demeanor. 

 

_ A stupid thing to be, seeing as you can’t fly away from danger. _

 

It was baffling to Keith. Why attract so much attention to oneself if the guy had no intention of warding off weirdos? Not  _ once  _ had he even glanced around the train to see who was around him. 

 

_ He’s so zoned out right now. _

 

_ I’m almost jealous…. _

 

Almost. 

 

As much as Keith liked daydreaming on trains, it was a dangerous business, and Shiro would never let him hear the end of it should he find out. 

 

_ You’re so lucky I was here to help you,  _ he thought to himself as he let his gaze wander over the boy again. He was cute, in a lanky, artsy sort of way, but that was as far as Keith would let his thoughts go. 

 

This was just some boy on the train, and Keith doubted he would even see him again once their stops were reached. 

 

_ You’ll be my good deed for the day.  _

 

And as the boy finally stood the next time the train pulled into a station, Keith let himself fully relax, noticing the group of men remain onboard and not follow him out. 

 

_ Good. At least they have no intention of stalking.  _

 

And with that his job was done, and Keith watched the boy leave the platform, shoulder bag swinging purposefully as long, slender legs carried the stranger away. 

 

* * *

__

Keith hadn’t been outright searching when his eyes landed on a familiar face. 

 

He had simply been observing; eyes wandering as they tended to do each morning he boarded the train to school. He hadn’t at all expected to see the same boy from yesterday, now standing by the doors but still as painfully unobservant, and Keith blinked as his mind realized that their meeting must not have been a one time thing. 

 

The stranger was wearing a different shade of blue this time, paired with dark black pants and- _ wow, still the yellow kicks, eh? _

 

Keith almost smiled, but then he discovered he wasn’t the only to notice the boy had returned. 

 

Two of the same men from before were sitting in the spot the boy had been previously, eyeing him closely and bowing their heads together as malice-filled eyes slowly tore their way up and down his body. 

 

It was repulsive to witness, and before Keith could think much of it, he was once again positioning himself in front of the clueless stranger; using his appearance to block the shining beacon of innocence that was the boy.

 

_ Welp, guess I’m your bodyguard now, aren’t I. _

 

It was an odd idea, but one Keith didn’t immediately push away. Clearly this guy was a target for weirdos, and the worst part was that he was so blissfully unaware of it all. 

 

_ Not only are you helpless, but you’re ignorant as well.  _

 

_ Dangerous combination dude. _

 

But Keith couldn’t help feeling a sense of responsibility about protecting the boy now. He didn’t  _ have _ to, sure, but it was something Shiro would do, and it wasn’t like anyone else was stepping up to bat. 

 

To be completely honest though, Keith didn’t really mind. Standing was better for him anyways; healthier. It was also practical for him to stand close to this guy, not only because the train filled up fast and it wouldn’t be outright obvious what he was doing, but also because this guy, this complete  _ stranger _ , was exactly the kind of person Keith liked best.

 

The ones that minded their own business. 

 

And as foolish as it was for this dude to outright ignore  _ everyone _ on this train, Keith could respect his desire to zone them out, and made a silent vow to protect that want. 

 

Besides, he wasn’t all that bad looking either, though Keith didn’t allow that fact to make it’s way onto his list of reasons. 

 

_ This is strictly because you’d be a black hole for goons otherwise.  _

 

_ Stay spaced-out man, I gotchu. _

 

Keith let his focus drift lazily as his music filled his ears, body rocking back and forth with each sway of the train, all the while keeping an eye on the stranger in front of him, wondering absently what is was he could possibly be thinking of. 

 

A few times his attention was brought back to the two men, who met his gaze almost reluctantly before turning away. 

 

He was once again grateful to the way he dressed, and how his clothing, coupled with a well-placed glare, could deter even the most foul of people. Keith felt his eyes wander back to the stranger he was secretly guarding, noticing the stark contrast of outfit choice compared to his own. 

 

_ Do you have any defenses at all? Are you even trying?! _

 

Keith figured he already knew the answer to that, seeing as the stranger,  _ his stranger, _ hadn’t once looked up from the door windows to observe his surroundings. 

 

Maybe he was well-versed in martial arts or something, and didn’t feel the need to put up wards. Or maybe he just didn’t care.

 

Whatever the case, Keith had already made up his mind, and would remain a silent shield against the intentions of weirdos in order to let this boy zone out. 

 

_ I don’t know what you’re thinking about, or how you’re able to tune out the train so well, but don’t worry. _

 

_ I’ll protect you. _

 

* * *

 

Lance sensed, rather than actually saw the movement, as his watcher approached.

 

He didn’t glance over, lest the action be noticed, but he did allow a shallow half-smile to emerge on his lips as he adjusted his head to rest more comfortably on the train doors. 

 

_ There you are…. _

 

It was odd, the behaviour of the stranger in black, and where Lance had been slightly uncomfortable with the whole situation at first, he was used to it now. Welcomed it really.

 

_ He hasn’t exactly done anything besides move to stand next to me anyways. _

 

A week had gone by since Lance’s first attempt at using the train to get to his school. Usually his mother drove him, but her new job had her leaving in the opposite direction every morning, so Lance had been given a train pass, a few hazy instructions, and a pat on the back as he was briskly shoved out the front door his first day of school. 

 

But he couldn’t be upset. In fact, Lance had been rather excited about this new form of transportation.

 

_ I feel like such an adult, taking the train.  _

 

_ Like a cheesy hollywood movie, or a thrilling scene from a good book. _

 

Unfortunately this train wasn’t as romantic as Lance had envisioned, and the underground was less than boring to maneuver, despite the onslaught of people that made their way back and forth between platforms. 

 

Usually people watching was a fun way to pass the time, but Lance had been cautioned against making eye contact with anyone on the train, so he had kept to himself for the most part. 

 

And it worked well, considering. His first official solo train ride had gone by without an incident, and though he didn’t remember most of it, his mind having wandered in boredom, Lance could safely say he enjoyed taking the train.

 

_ Until I noticed EdgeLord Extreme over there… _

 

It had been the second day on the train that Lance had first noticed the man. Or well,  _ boy _ was more like it, seeing as he was close in age to Lance himself, and calling the dude a man just felt weird. 

 

Regardless, Lance had noticed out of the corner of his eye the purposeful strides that his leather-clad watcher had taken in his direction. He recalled stiffening, prepared for some sort of interaction, but nothing of the sort occurred.

 

Oddly enough, it just appeared as if the stranger had simply chosen to stand next to him, even though there were seats available.

 

_ Makes sense, those seats aren’t exactly the most comfortable. _

 

So Lance had let his guard down, and with it his mind had travelled to another plane of reality; lost in the lull of the train. 

 

The third day he knew something was up, and as the stranger moved to stand next to him again, he wondered absently if perhaps the train had assigned spots, or if maybe the guy just liked that particular handle. 

 

_ Why else would he chose to stand there? _

 

Lance couldn’t figure it out, but there was never any confrontation, so he stopped worrying.

 

And so it had gone, with Lance boarding a few stops ahead of this leather-clad punk, waiting for him to get on at the appropriate time, and watching him choose to stand near to him on the train. 

 

It didn’t matter if there were spaces open or not. Each day was the same, and as the week went on, Lance stopped finding the behaviour odd. 

 

It was just something this guy apparently did. 

 

_ Maybe I should be weirded out by this… _

 

_ But then again, he hasn’t said or done anything, just stood there. It would be rude if I asked him why. _

 

Not only that, but Lance feared if he mentioned his observations to the stranger, the boy would leave. 

 

_ He probably doesn’t even realize he’s doing it honestly.  _

 

_ I’m overthinking things. _

 

And besides, on the days where Lance’s thoughts weren’t able to carry him off to other worlds, he watched his watcher in the reflection of the window, catching glimpses of the stranger whenever the train passed through a darker region of tunnel. Let’s just say there were definitely  _ worse _ people to stand next to, and this guy was  _ for sure _ in the top three for hottest people on the train.

 

Where Lance would usually shy away from all black clothing, fingerless gloves and totally out-of-date hairstyles, he could appreciate the way the full ensemble made this guy look. 

 

_ A badass...or maybe one of those emos punks.  _

 

And after describing the dude to Hunk, Lance had somehow managed to convince himself that he quite liked the look. 

 

Or maybe it was just the person creating it.

 

_ He  _ is _ a cutie... _

 

_ I wonder if he knows that… _

 

_ Pfft, look at the way he tucks his hair behind his ear as he checks his phone. He totally knows it. _

 

Lance smiled again as he watched the boy in secret. He wasn’t sure why he was so hesitant to introduce himself; it wasn’t like he had much to lose.

 

_ Except a good view. _

 

_ And it might make things weird... _

 

Yeah, scratch that, it was better to just keep quiet and admire from afar. 

 

Or, well, a foot away, seeing as the train didn’t allow for much distance to get between them, and this Camp-Rock-Joe-Jonas looking hipster was apparently adamant about choosing the spot closest to him each morning. It wasn’t like Lance could just walk away and choose another seat. How rude would that be?!

And even if there  _ was _ a way to make it look like he wasn’t purposefully moving away from the stranger, Lance didn’t think he would  _ want _ to. As he had said before, there were worse people to stand next to on the train, and he had grown rather fond of his silent shadow. 

 

_ I wonder if maybe he likes me… _

 

That was a thought Lance could get lost in, and as much as he wanted to remain staring passively at his watcher, it didn’t take long before his mind was pulling him off in pleasant directions, dreaming up all kinds of romantic epilogues to these unconventional train trips, and wondering if his stranger was possibly doing the same.

 

* * *

 

It had been a week and bit of Keith’s so-called ‘bodyguarding’, and not a single incident had transpired. 

 

Aside from the occasional lingering gaze, no wackos had approached the boy near the doors, and no one appeared to be looking to talk or make trouble.

 

It was all thanks to Keith, he knew, but as the week had gone by, he began to wonder if maybe his efforts weren’t needed so much anymore.

 

The group of men, which varied from one to four members, depending on the day, had seemingly given up. In fact, on Friday morning, when Keith made his way over to where his stranger was standing, the group didn’t even spare him a glance. 

 

_ Message received perhaps? _

 

It was a good thing, and Keith’s defenses were clearly doing the trick.

 

He wasn’t about to stop what he was doing however, and still made a point of standing near the boy whenever he boarded the train. It was almost habit now, and though his stranger had yet to show any sign of acknowledgment of his existence, Keith was happy enough to just stand near someone not determined on making conversation. 

 

It was nice.

 

And it had become routine.

 

Wednesday morning the following week brought with it a larger crowd at the train station, and when Keith boarded, he assumed his regular position near the lanky boy, holding onto the handles that hung down from the ceiling with one hand and scrolling through his phone idly with the other. 

 

Only one member of the creeper group appeared to be on the train, so Keith let himself relax more than he would have on any other day. 

 

_ The train is too full for him to do much. _

 

_ And these types of guys hate working alone. He won’t try anything. _

 

With that in mind, Keith decided to use his time on the commute to his school to look over some notes before class. It was rare that he did this, seeing as it used the majority of his attention, but with only one weirdo to look out for, Keith figured he could afford the distraction. 

 

He cranked his music, which helped him to focus as his eyes scanned over the words on his screen, and tuned out the outside world.

 

It’s about ten minutes later when he feels something off.

 

Maybe it’s due to how close he’s standing next to his stranger. Or maybe it’s because his body is sensing a shift in overall mood; changing from the usual calm comfort to something more tense.

 

But whatever the reason behind it, Keith feels a very strong urge to check on the boy beside him. 

 

He lifts his gaze from his phone, and sees two of his classmates engaging in conversation with his stranger. It’s the first time Keith has seen the boy talk, or at least his mouth move, but it’s apparent that he’s uncomfortable with the words being said. 

 

Or, maybe he isn’t? Keith, after all, hasn’t spoken with this guy himself, so who is he to say the interaction is at all awkward? 

 

_ Maybe they’re just saying hi? _

 

But Keith knows these kids. He knows their backgrounds and their prep attitude that he tends to ignore as best he can. These are the kinds of people he tries to avoid, not only on the train, but in life as well. Not because they’re weird or creepy per se, but because they’re just generally unpleasant to be around, and have it in their heads that the world should revolve around themselves.

 

_ But maybe that’s just me.  _

 

Keith isn’t so sure, but there’s definitely no denying the way his stranger is currently backing up against the glass of the train doors, edging away from Keith’s classmates and thus towards him; clear discomfort etched on his usually delicate features. 

 

Keith watches the following scene unfold almost in slow motion. His stranger shakes his head, eyes panicked as he inches towards Keith. One of his classmates, a taller jock with a growing smirk twisting his face into a menacing mask, sees this, and slams a hand on the wall next to the guy’s face, causing him to flinch. 

 

He’s about to lower his head down towards the now cowering boy when Keith’s body reacts.

 

In an instant he smacks his classmate’s arm away, before stepping into the space between them and slamming his own fist on the wall near his stranger, shielding him from their stares. 

 

He sees the looks of recognition cross their faces as he glares them down, not speaking; letting his appearance do the talking. They know who he is, and with his defenses in full throttle, they back away reluctantly, giving Keith and his stranger space before sitting down near the back of the train. 

 

_ And here I was worried about those other guys, when really the true creeps were my classmates all along. I shouldn’t have let myself zone-out. _

 

_ Thank god for my reputation. _

 

Keith is still staring the two down when he feels something tug in his ear, and then suddenly the noises of the train are filling one half of his head; the abrupt clarity disorienting.

 

But like that isn’t enough, Keith’s brain is thrown for a complete loop as he whips his head around to determine what had happened, and sees his stranger holding the right earbud of his headphones between two slender fingers, face a mask of red.

 

_ Oh-! _

 

The boy isn’t making eye contact, but his ears are practically steaming as Keith realizes like a slap to the face how close they’re standing. 

 

_ OH! _

 

He makes to step back, but the train takes a corner at the exact same moment, and without a handle to help him fight the motion, Keith is at the mercy of the force, keeping both boys in place and pressed up tight against the side of the train until the tracks straighten out again.

 

It’s all Keith can do to keep his arm from caving in; maintaining what little gap is left between himself and his stranger as the seconds tick on; heat crawling up his neck and into his cheeks as he feels the breath of his stranger warm his face. 

 

_ Has this turn always been this long?! _

 

As soon as the corner has ended Keith makes to hastily step back, but he feels another tug and pauses the motion before getting very far.

 

His stranger, who is still holding his right headphone firmly, is now staring at him, rosy brown cheeks a stark contrast to the icy blue of his eyes, and Keith feels his legs weaken at the sight. 

 

_ Wow he’s pretty… _ flashes through Keith’s mind at the same time as  _ I should apologize! _

 

“I’m sorry-”

 

Keith breaks off, since his stranger, now gaping at him with wide eyes of frozen pools, had said the exact same words just then, and the two take a moment to simply stare at each other as they wait for the other to go on.

 

But instead of continue, the boy in front of Keith simply cracks a wide, toothy grin, and Keith feels laughter bubble up in his gut. He can’t contain it, and soon he’s attempting to cover his mouth as the sound escapes his lips; loud and joyous and  _ not intimidating at all! _

 

The boy’s smile widens to the point of amused bewilderment, and soon his own lofty giggles are filling the air of the train, drowning out the sounds of wheel on rail splendidly. 

 

It shouldn’t be this funny. Keith knows people are staring, but he can’t help himself. Each new bout of laughter brings with it tears to Keith’s eyes, and soon he’s abandoned his efforts at stifling the noise in an attempt to wipe away the wetness forming in his ducts. 

 

He can tell his stranger is no better off; arms clutching at his sides tightly as he wheezes away with Keith.

 

_ It shouldn’t be this funny! _

 

And yet it is, and Keith doesn’t think he’s ever laughed this much over something so...so... _ what the heck am I even laughing about?! _

 

It didn’t matter. Joy like this didn’t need an explanation, so Keith just let himself experience it; sharing the moment with his stranger until the train slowed as it approached its next stop.

 

They had managed to collect themselves enough at this point to be able to breathe properly again, but before Keith could even begin to say something- _ anything _ else, the train doors slid open. His stranger, who had been pressed up against them and thus not paying attention, fell backwards; arms flailing comically as he squeaked at the sudden loss of support. 

 

Again Keith reacted without thinking, and grabbed onto the boy’s upper arms before he could fall, holding him in place and feeling muscles stiffen momentarily under his gentle grip. But then the boy was relaxing into Keith’s hold, and they had another brief moment to simply stare at each other again, before the passengers behind them were pushing their way through the doors, eager to be off to their respective destinations. 

 

Keith was forced to let go as he was jostled around, but his stranger was able to maintain his balance this time, and as he was swept away with the crowd, jumped up with a wave and a beam so bright it was nearly blinding.

 

“Hey!” He calls out, and Keith doesn’t think he’s ever heard such an angelic voice. “Thank you! My name is Lance! I’ll talk to you later okay?” 

 

Keith doesn’t reply. His mouth won’t quit pulling up at the corners, making word formation difficult. So instead he nods enthusiastically, raising his own hand to wave back as his stranger,  _ Lance _ , is carried off with the flood of people. 

 

_ Bye Lance,  _ he thinks to himself, and the train doors slide closed in front of him.  _ I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll introduce myself then! _

 

And as the train begins to pull ahead once more, jostling Keith slightly as he continues to stare out the glass, he sees Lance’s head pop up in the crowd; sees his arm waving back and forth like the tail of an overexcited puppy. 

 

Keith chuckles to himself as he watches.

 

_ Yeah, you’re just like a puppy aren’t you?  _

 

_ Utterly helpless. Weirdo magnet. Defenseless against strangers as you zone out on the train… _

 

_ And not to mention way too cute for your own good. _

 

Keith lets his own hand rest against the glass, fallen headphone completely forgotten as he watches the platform fade from view, and smiles as he remembers the sound of Lance’s laugh; the way his eyes lit up like stars at dusk.

 

_ But don’t worry… _ He thinks, sighing contently as the sounds of the train fade away as his mind wanders blissfully to tomorrow. 

 

_ I’ll protect you. _

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> Be sure to check out the official fic All Aboard  
> by NireYllek, where the idea came from! It's amazing! And the art is spectacular!!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this :)  
>  
> 
> [My Tumblr](https://vulpes--vulpes@tumblr.com)


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